Cal's Top Running Back Christopher Brooks Enters Transfer Portal

Bears will lose a player who led the Bears in rushing in 2021 and 2019

Christopher Brooks, who was Cal's leading rusher this season and in 2019, has entered the transfer portal. He will be a graduate transfer.

He announced the move on social media:

pic.twitter.com/26Pt7yDPKU

— Christopher Brooks (@chris_br0oks26) December 7, 2021

Brooks, previously known as Christopher Brown, looked like a budding star as a sophomore in 2019 when he played in all 13 games, including 12 starts, and ran for 914 yards and eight rushing touchdowns and also caught  22 passes for 166 yards and four more touchdowns.

Injuries affected his 2020 season, when he played in three of Cal's four games with two starts and had just 21 carries for 65 yards and one touchdown and also had four receptions for 17 yards. Injuries again affected Brown at the start of the 2021 season, and was not the starting tailback in the opener, with Damien Moore earning that spot.

But as the season went on, Brown seemed to get stronger. He became the Bears' starting tailback late in the season and was the main ball-carrier down the stretch.

Brooks finished the season with team-leading 602 rushing yards, a 5.2 yards average per carry and four touchdowns. He also had 19 receptions for 131 yards and three touchdowns.

He had a season-high 131 yards on the ground against Stanford, and had 240 rushing yards over the final three games.

Injuries affected his career at Cal, but when he was healthy, he was a consistent ground-gainer with his power running style.

Brown was also a highly motivated student who carried a high grade-point average.

Cal still has several capable running backs if no more of them transfer. Moore, who started the first eight games in 2021 as a sophomore, finished the season with 517 yards rushing as injuries and fumble issues limited his playing time late in the season.

Chris Street also received increased playing time this season as a sophomore, and DeCarlos Brooks is the other scholarship running back.

The Bears may try to add a running back through the transfer portal.

Cal initially had commitments from two running backs in the class of 2022, but Jaydn Ott and Kaleb Johnson both decommitted from Cal, and opted to commit elsewhere.

2018 3-star RB Christopher Brown has entered the portal as a grad transfer after rushing for 1,127 yards and 10 TD during his Cal career; also had 31 rec for 214 yards and 4 TD @CalRivalshttps://t.co/U7w3JSHmgL

— NCAA Transfer Portal (@RivalsPortal) December 7, 2021

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Cover photo of Christopher Brooks by Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports

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